Today's story in the Charlotte Observer is entitled, "HGTV show featuring Concord brothers is canceled over politics" The planned new show, "Flip it Forward," was to feature twin brothers David and Jason Benham of Concord, NC.
JGibson has diaried the Benham family's fringe right wing activism: the twins' father, Flip Benham, is an anti-abortion extremist who succeeded Randall Terry as head of Operation Rescue in 1994. In 1999, Flip Benham renamed the organization Operation Save America. In 2011, he was convicted of stalking a Charlotte physician who performed abortions after passing out hundreds of "Wanted" posters bearing the doctor's name and photo.
The apple(s) didn't fall far from the tree.
On May 6, RightWingWatch.org exposed the brothers' hate activism.
Flip's son, David Benham, led a prayer rally — Charlotte 7:14 — outside of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2012, which he told conservative radio host Janet Mefferd was needed to stop “homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation” and “demonic ideologies tak[ing] our universities and our public school systems”
He told Mefferd that his brother Jason joined him in organizing the DNC prayer protest.
On September 6, 2012,
RightWingWatch reported that
David Benham organized a prayer rally in Charlotte to coincide with the opening of the Democratic National Convention called Charlotte 714, based on 2 Chronicles 7:14, along with groups like the North Carolina Values Coalition and Operation Save America, which is led by his father Flip Benham.
While speaking to Janet Mefferd yesterday about the prayer rally, Benham said that Charlotte was chosen not only because it is the site of the DNC but also because the city was one of the few areas to vote against Amendment One, the same-sex marriage ban voters passed in May. Benham called Charlotte’s vote against anti-gay discrimination a sign of the “very desperate spiritual situation and moral situation in our country,” requiring “a citywide church service of repentance.”
In David's own words:
In North Carolina you know we just fought for Amendment One which was a constitutional amendment that simply said, this is exactly what the amendment said is the only legal marriage in North Carolina was between a man and a woman. We received—it was such a battle in North Carolina it blew me away. I already knew in my heart as most all of us Christians in America know that we are in a very desperate spiritual situation and moral situation in our country but it really hit home during Amendment One, so much so that when Amendment One passed I realized the only three counties in North Carolina that actually voted against the amendment were Charlotte, Raleigh and Asheville, our three cities. So we had all the rural areas and all the suburban areas but we lost all the cities. So I felt like, OK it’s time that we have a citywide church service of repentance and that’s the reason that we decided to do it right in the heart of Charlotte the night before the DNC.
It so happens that I
attended the DNC as a volunteer. I found it oddly free of spiritual desperation, and have yet to feel the need to repent for being there. My participation did, however, set off a chain of events that led to my own conservative Christian parents disowning me a few months later. Maybe that's why I'm so hacked off at the Charlotte Observer's choice of title for today's story.
HGTV show featuring Concord brothers is canceled over politics
Um, no. Not just no, but HELL no. The author of the article is unclear, hiding behind the byline "Charlotte Observer staff." Well, "staff," I've got a bone to pick. /Rant on.
The HGTV show was NOT cancelled over "politics." It was cancelled because hate. "Staff," I'd like to refer you to towleroad.com, where Andy Towle got the headline exquisitely right: HGTV CANCELS SHOW AFTER STARS REVEALED TO BE ANTI-GAY, ANTI-ABORTION, ANTI-MUSLIM EXTREMISTS
Hate doesn't sell. Hate alienates sponsors and viewers. Just ask Rush Limbaugh and the Duck Dynasty guys. HGTV's decision was announced quietly this morning, in the form of a tweet.
To which the Benham brothers responded in a statement:
"The first and last thought on our minds as we begin and end each day is; have we shined Christ's light today? Our faith is the fundamental calling in our lives, and the centerpiece of who we are. As Christians we are called to love our fellow man. Anyone who suggests that we hate homosexuals or people of other faiths is either misinformed or lying. Over the last decade, we've sold thousands of homes with the guiding principle of producing value and breathing life into each family that has crossed our path, and we do not, nor will we ever discriminate against people who do not share our views."
Methinks they doth protest too much. I recognize neither their Christ, nor his "light" to which they refer. They continue:
"We were saddened to hear HGTV's decision. With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals. If our faith costs us a television show then so be it."
It was not faith that cost you a television show, my dears. Nor was it politics. It may have been a business decision on the part of HGTV, but it was the right decision. Because there are few things more grotesque than hatred. So be it, amen.
/rant off